Earlier this month, former NFL punter Chris Kluwe found himself at the center of controversy after speaking out against Donald Trump. And on Wednesday, he faced further discipline for his public outburst.
For those who are unfamiliar with the situation, Kluwe spoke his mind during a Huntington Beach City Council meeting regarding a “”Make America Great Again” plaque being put up at the local library. Upset about this, he likened the “Make America Great Again” movement to a “Nazi movement”
“‘MAGA’ is profoundly corrupt, unmistakably anti-democracy and, most importantly, ‘MAGA’ is explicitly a Nazi movement,” said Kluwe via NBC News during the council meeting. “You may have replaced a swastika with a red hat, but that’s what it is. I will now engage in the time-honored American tradition of peaceful civil disobedience.”
Kluwe then took several steps toward council members before being arrested. And unfortunately, this is not where the consequences ended for the former Minnesota Vikings star.
Speaking with TMZ on Friday, Kluwe outlined how he received termination papers from Edison High School, where he served as a football coach, on Wednesday following the incident.
“I’m bummed that I won’t get to work with the kids anymore, because they always got excited when they figured out I played in the NFL, and I think this exemplifies what MAGA is all about,” Kluwe told TMZ on Friday. “They don’t care about harming the community as long as they can make themselves look good. It’s happening here in HB, and it’s happening nationally across our country.”
Kluwe seemingly has no plans of stopping to try and protest Trump’s presidency, as he detailed that advocacy is something that is inherently apart of who he is.
“That’s what I’ve always done,” said Kluwe of his advocacy.
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.